Israel to Allow Flour Shipments for Gaza Through Key Port

Empty trucks wait on the Gaza border with Egypt at Rafah for the aid trucks to cross from northern Egypt on October 21, 2023, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. (AFP)
Empty trucks wait on the Gaza border with Egypt at Rafah for the aid trucks to cross from northern Egypt on October 21, 2023, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. (AFP)
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Israel to Allow Flour Shipments for Gaza Through Key Port

Empty trucks wait on the Gaza border with Egypt at Rafah for the aid trucks to cross from northern Egypt on October 21, 2023, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. (AFP)
Empty trucks wait on the Gaza border with Egypt at Rafah for the aid trucks to cross from northern Egypt on October 21, 2023, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. (AFP)

Israel will let shipments of flour for Palestinians through the Israeli port of Ashdod, north of Gaza, the White House said Friday after President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke.

The move comes days after the UN called on Israel to allow access to the port for the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid for Gaza, besieged since the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel.

"The president welcomed the decision from the Government of Israel to permit the shipment of flour for the Palestinian people directly through Ashdod port," the White House said in a readout of their call.

US teams would "separately work on options for more direct maritime delivery of assistance into Gaza," it added.

Washington has backed Israel's offensive against Gaza since the Hamas attacks on October 7 while also calling on the Israelis to let in more aid to Palestinian civilians.

Three UN agencies -- the World Food Program (WFP), UNICEF and the World Health Organisation (WHO) -- pushed for the opening of Ashdod in a joint statement on Monday.

The use of Ashdod, located some 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of the Gaza border, is "critically needed by aid agencies," they said, while calling for a "fundamental step change in the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza."

The Israel-Hamas war has sparked a humanitarian catastrophe for Gaza's 2.4 million people, who are struggling to get food, water, fuel and medical care.

Opening the Ashdod port would reduce the time it takes to transport food to Gazans from the north, WFP's regional director for the Middle East, Corinne Fleischer, told AFP earlier this month.

In December, Israel approved the temporary delivery of aid into Gaza via its southern Kerem Shalom border crossing, opening a new route for supplies after weeks of pressure.



Syria Puts Entry Restrictions On Lebanese After Border Clash

Cars line up to enter Lebanon after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad near the Lebanese-Syrian border (Reuters)
Cars line up to enter Lebanon after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad near the Lebanese-Syrian border (Reuters)
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Syria Puts Entry Restrictions On Lebanese After Border Clash

Cars line up to enter Lebanon after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad near the Lebanese-Syrian border (Reuters)
Cars line up to enter Lebanon after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad near the Lebanese-Syrian border (Reuters)

Syria has imposed new restrictions on the entry of Lebanese citizens, two security sources from Lebanon told AFP on Friday, following what the Lebanese army said was a border skirmish with armed Syrians.

The developments appeared to be the first instance of diplomatic friction between the two neighbours since opposition factions topped longtime Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad last month.

Lebanese nationals had previously been allowed into Syria without a visa, using just their passport or ID.

But a Lebanese General Security official told AFP Friday that they were "surprised to see the border had been closed" to Lebanese citizens "from the Syrian side".

The official, who like other sources spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, said that no new border measures had been communicated to them yet.

A security source at Masnaa, the main land border crossing between the two countries, said Syrian authorities had implemented "new procedures" since last night, only allowing in Lebanese with residency permits or official permission.

The Lebanese army said in a statement on X that its soldiers and Syrians had clashed at the border as the armed forces tried to "close an illegal crossing".

"Syrians attempted to open the crossing using a bulldozer, so army personnel fired warning shots into the air. The Syrians opened fire on army personnel, injuring one of them and provoking a clash".

"Army units deployed in the sector have taken strict military measures," the statement added.

Earlier, a Lebanese military official had said Syria's move followed "skirmishes between the Lebanese army and Syrian armed men at the border" who were briefly detained by the army.